Ongoing Research Projects
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Music4Pain Pilot Awardee: An Investigation of the Intersection of Affect and Meaning in Music-Based Pain Modulation
This project has been awarded to the Finan Lab at the University of Virginia. The original application for this pilot study was led by Nick Cherup, PhD. Following Dr. Cherup’s transition to industry, the Finan Lab is continuing the project. The study examines how personal meaning and emotional engagement with music influence pain modulation, including effects on pain intensity, unpleasantness, and emotional responses during experimental pain. The project also explores how individual differences—such as positive affect and sense of meaning in life—relate to music-based pain inhibition. Dr. Claudia Denoue, MD (Anesthesiologist), a postdoctoral fellow in the Finan Lab, is a key contributor leading the continuation and implementation of this work.
Music4Pain Pilot Awardee: Investigating the Effects and Mechanisms of Group Drumming on Pain Sensitivity in Dementia: A Pilot Study Using Neuroendocrine and Psychophysical Biomarkers
Awarded to AZA Allsop, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University. This pilot study investigates the effects and mechanisms of group drumming on pain sensitivity in individuals with dementia. Using quantitative sensory testing, neuroendocrine biomarkers (including cortisol and oxytocin), EEG, and heart-rate variability, the project examines how an 8-week drum circle influences pain processing, brain plasticity, autonomic regulation, and caregiver–patient synchrony. By integrating behavioral, physiological, and neural measures, this study aims to provide mechanistic insight into how music-based group interventions may improve pain outcomes and quality of life in dementia.
The role of the mesolimbic dopamine reward system in music-induced analgesia.
Dr. Mathieu Roy, alongside co-investigators Alain Dagher, Etienne Vachon-Presseau, and Robert J. Zatorre, have been awarded a prestigious grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to conduct groundbreaking research titled "Investigating the role of the mesolimbic dopamine reward system in music-induced analgesia." Dr. Roy's project aims to unravel the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the pain-relieving effects of music, particularly focusing on the involvement of dopamine in the brain's reward system. Through a series of innovative brain imaging and pharmacological manipulation experiments, the team will explore how music influences brain activity and dopamine release in response to pain stimuli. This research holds significant promise in enhancing the understanding of music's therapeutic potential in pain management, offering a cost-effective and side effect-free alternative to traditional pharmacological interventions.
Frontal midline theta oscillation power as a potential mechanism of music-based treatments for pain.
Dr. Mark Jensen, core investigator of the Music4Pain Research Network and Vice Chair for Research in Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington, is collaborating with Dr. Carlene Brown, Professor and Director of the Music Therapy program at Seattle Pacific University on an innovative R21 study, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. The study aims to examine frontal midline theta oscillation power as a potential mechanism of music-based treatments for pain in people with chronic low back pain. The 3-arm study compares the effects of 1) live music provided by a board-certified music therapist (music therapy), 2) listening to pre-recorded music (music medicine), and 3) listening to non-musical sounds (control) on frontal midline theta oscillation power. The sound source used in this study is the Body Tambura, an instrument that was developed specifically for music therapy and is based on the Tanpura, a musical instrument from India. It is widely used by music therapists in Europe. The team will also evaluate the mediation effects of therapeutic alliance and perceived qualities of music on differences in outcome between live- and audio recording-administered treatments. The results will inform the design of an R01 clinical trial evaluating the extent to which treatment-related changes in EEG-assessed oscillation power mediate the beneficial effects of music on pain.